What is Advocacy?
Advocacy is defined as "pleading in support of or defending" or "the act of being an advocate".
Advocating for the homeless
With regard to the complex and varied issues surrounding the problem of homelessness, advocacy means something more.
The condition of being homeless deprives a person or family of more than just the shelter of a safe, decent place to live. It also, in the eyes of many, deprives them a place in our society.
People who are homeless too often no longer count. They are no longer valued. They are no longer looked upon as "us" but rather as "that problem." Decision makers rarely ask for their opinions or hear their voices. They become invisible and silent.
They become voiceless in our society.
When you advocate for the homeless, you lend your voice to the voiceless. You plead for the support and defense of valuable neighbors. You make sure they remain part of "us".
